When budget watchdogs like the Citizens Budget Commission criticize New York’s economic development spending, they are frequently referring to the $10 billion the state spends annually bolstering private industry: think the Buffalo Billion, the Buffalo Bills stadium or the tax credits that go to the film and television industry. 

But the state funds another kind of special-interest-driven economic development, too. Under that umbrella, you’ll find the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), which supports tourism in both the Adirondacks and the Catskills. 

“From ski centers to tourism venues and even to gift shops and restaurants, ORDA has become really a juggernaut,” NPR reporter Brian Mann told Capital Tonight. 

In this week’s edition of Adirondack Life Magazine, Mann and his son, Nicholas, dive into ORDA’s financial history and ask whether the investment has been worth it — especially in light of another fundamental challenge the region faces.

“Another big question about what-will-soon-be a billion-dollar investment in winter sports and tourism is coming against the shadow of climate change,” said Mann. “Winter is eroding in the Lake Placid area, and one question ORDA officials really struggled with when we asked was, ‘is this a good bet?’”